Government clears 153 flood control proposals

The government has cleared 153 flood control proposals with an estimated cost of Rs 6,374 crore but 14 proposals were returned due to non-eligibility or technical faults, the LokSabha was informed today.

"153 proposals with an estimated cost of Rs 6,374 crore were techno-economically cleared, 14 proposals were returned due to non-eligibility as well as planning and design deficiencies," Water Resources Minister Uma Bharati said during Question Hour.

Bharati said 412 flood management proposals with an over-all estimated cost of Rs 42,032 crore were received from the states and Union Territories by appraisal agencies under the Water Resources Ministry from 2011-12 till date.

On 178 proposals, comments were sent by appraisal agencies on which there has been no compliance from state governments.

The appraisal agencies have undertaken specialised project planning, hydrological, design and cost appraisal analysis in close interaction with concerned state governments on the remaining 70 proposals, she said.

The Minister said for 97 projects having total estimated cost of Rs 4,412 crore, concurrence was approved for funding under Flood Management Programme during 2013-14.

Bharati said all these proposals would be implemented under the Flood Management Programme (FMP) which provides central assistance to state governments for flood management and anti-sea erosion works.

She said FMP covers works relating to river management, anti-erosion, flood control, drainage development, anti-sea erosion and catchment area treatment. The total outlay for FMP during the XII Plan is Rs 10,000 crore, she said.

Referring to Ghatal Master Plan, Bharati said West Bengal government had in August 2009 submitted a proposal to Ganga Flood Control Commission for flood protection measures in Ghatal area of West Bengal at a cost of Rs 1,550 crore.

She said considering the size of the project and for sustainability of the proposed measures, the GFCC advised the state government to get mathematical and physical model studies undertaken for the project.

"The state government got the mathematical model studies undertaken by IIT-Kharagpur and submitted the revised project report in August 2013 to GFCC with an estimated cost of Rs 1,577.28 crore. GFCC has undertaken specialised analysis of revised detailed project report," she said.